Street-indicator for cars.



G. BUTTRESS.

STREET INDICATOR FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-1B. 1913.

PatentedSept. 14, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEE1 1.

G. BUTTRESS.

STREET INDICATOR FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18. 1913.

PatentedSept. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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GEORGE BUTTRESS, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TU AMERICAN HOLDING COMPANY, OF LQS ANGIE-LES, CALlQFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE BUTTRESS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Street-Indicators for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an indicator and more particularly to an indicating device for street cars, an object of the invention being to provide :a simple arrangement for accurately indicating streets regardless of the variations in the length of blocks.

Other objects will appear from the following specification, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1, is a fragmentary sectional side elevation of a car, showing my invention as applied, the section being taken on lines 11, Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a transverse section on lines 2-2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the operatingcables or lines, and the indicating apparatus mounted in a car. Fig. 3, is an enlarged section on lines 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 1, is an enlarged sectional elevation on lines 1 1, Fig.3. Fig. 5, is an enlarged sectional detail of the wheel for controlling the operation of the indicator, the section being taken on lines 55, Fig. 6. Fig. 6, is avertical section on lines 66, Fig. 5. Fig. 7, is a horizontal section on lines 7-7, Fig. 5; and Fig. 8, is a fragmentary side elevation showing the indicating band, the spools on which same is wound and a meansfor removably holding the shaft of one of the spoolsin place.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the fragment of a car, in the most advantageousplace of which may be positioned a box 2, containing the operating mechanism for a band or tape 3, on which are printed, orrotherwise fixed, the names and numbers of streets, such names and numbers being visible through a transparent plate 1.,

mounted in the cover 5, hingedly secured to the boX 2.

" The street names and'numbers-containing tape or band 3, is wound on spools 6 and 7 respectively, mounted on shafts 8 and 9,

Patented se t. 11, 1915.

Application filed April 18, 1913. Serial No. 762,092.

which are journaled in suitable supports 10 and 11. On saidshafts 8 and 9, are keyed ratchet wheels 12 and 13, arranged to be rotated by pawls 11 and 15, pivoted on the end of arms 16 and 17, loosely mounted on said shafts 8 and 9, said arms being held in normally retracted position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, by springs 18 which hold said arms 16 and 17, in engagement with stops 19, provided on the casing; Said pawls 11 and 15, are forced into engagement with the ratchet teeth ofthe wheels 12 and 13, by suitable springs 20 and 21, attached to the said arms 16 and 17. r

The respective arms 16 and 17 are operated by means to be presently described, and 1t 1s obviousthat whenthe ratchet wheel 12 is rotated by the pawl. 11, the band 3 will also cause a rotation of the ratchet wheel 13. Therefore, the pawl 15 on the arm 17 must be held free of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 13, and this is accomplished by lip 22 which extends downwardly from, a horizontally disposed bracketv 23 mounted on the casing. The spring 21 holds the pawl 15 in engagement with said lip 22, and, when the arm 17 is drawn back to normal position by the spring 18, the said pawl 15 will be clear of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 13; when drawn forward, the pawl 15 will engage the ratchet wheel 13 and inove it in the direcout of engagement with said ratchet wheels 12 and 13, in order that suchratchet wheels may be movedindependently of said pawls.

hen it is. desired to render the ratchet wheels 12'and 13, absolutely independent of the pawls 11 and 15, suitable plates 25 and '26 are interposed between the said pawls and the ratchetwheels, whereby, when the pawls are actuated by the movement of the arms 16 and 17, they slide on said plates 25 and 26 witl1outcausing any movement of the ratchet wheels. These plates 25 and 26 'form integral parts of arms 27 and 28,

I ratchet wheels12 and 13. The shaft 8 may be formed of two parts and coupled together in-the manner shown in Fig. 3, in order that the'spool 6 may be removed without disturbing the operating mechanism, and for this purpose the ends of the supports 10 and ll'are, held closed by blocks 31 and 32, mounted on flat springs 33 and 34, which are connected to the casing. The shafts S and 9 are mounted in bearings 35 and 36, respectively, and the ends of the same which project outside of the casing may be fur nished with knurled nuts 9?? and 38 for manual operation of the tape 3. V

' The arms 16 and '17 are operated by ropes or cables 39 and 40,'running'over rollers 41 and 42, either in the manner shown or 1n any other convenient manner, said ropes or cables 39and 40 respectively, being connected to levers 43 and 44, pivotally mounted on a bifurcation 45, the free ends of which extend directly in the path of lugs or pins 46 and 47, disposed in and projectlng later ally and on opposite sides from a wheel 48, which is journaledin suitable boxings 49, slidably mounted in guideways 50,pr ov1ded in the respective arms of the bifurcations 45 and normally under the tension of helical springs 51, which are provided to insure at all times perfect contact of the wheel 48,

with the track 52, on which it is arranged to roll. The aforementioned pins 46 and 47 are severally provided with heads 58, against which helical springs 54, are adapted to bear to hold said pins projected. The

levers 43 and 44 are beveled at their lower ends, as seen at A,said levers being disposed on opposite sides of said wheel 48, with their narrow edges toward each other, as

-seen in Figs. 5 and 7, in order that, the pins 47 and 46 will operate said levers 43 and 44 only when they engage the thick'side of said levers. It'is obviousthat when one of the pins engagesand positively actuates one of the levers, the other pin, engaging the beveled edge of the other 181 61,, will be depressed therebyand, glide past it without efi'ecting acha-nge in its position. In this manner the'operation of. the street-indicating band is accomplished byeither a forward or .backward movement of the car.

The aforementioned bifurcation 45 is provided witha flange 55, which is arranged to V be bolted or otherwise fasten-ed'onto a mem- H CA ber of a truck 56; however this specific mounting of the track-engaging wheel and 'its'complementary bifurcationcis immaterial.

ticular street ends, whereby the names and numbers of the streets will appear consecutively and accurately and remain in view for a certain length of time, regardless of the variation in the length of the blocks.

The spacing of the street names or characters on the band in Fig. 3, is illustrative only of the general arrangement. It is obvious that such spacing will vary according to the different street lengths.

What I claim, is:

1. The combination with a plurality of spools, of an indicating band wound on said spools, shafts on which said spools are mounted, ratchet wheels keyed to said shafts, arms loose on said shafts, pawls on said arms arranged for engagement with said ratchet wheels, a track engaging wheel having on each side a laterally projecting pin, springs to-hold said pins projected, a lever on each side of said wheel having beveled edges disposed toward each other, said levers being in the path of said pins whereby only one of said levers is operated by the movement of the car in one direction, and cables connecting the levers and arms.

2. In a street car indicator, the combination with two spools, of an indicating band wound on said'spools and shafts on which said spools are mounted, of ratchet wheels keyed on said shafts, arms loose on said shafts and provided with pawls for engagement with said ratchet wheels, springs to normally hold said arms retracted, means to hold said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheels when said arms are in retracted position, cables to operate said arms, a track engaging wheel having on each side a pin, a yielding means to hold said pins projected, and a lever disposed on each side of said wheel and in the path of said pins, said levers'having beveled edges disposed toward each other, and said cables being attached to and operated by said levers.

3. In a street car indicator, the combination with two spools of an indicating band wound on said spools, and shafts on which said spools are mounted,'of ratchet wheels keyed on said shafts, arms loose on said shafts, pawls on said arms arranged for engagement with said ratchet wheels, springs to hold said arms normally retracted, lips l0 hold said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheels when said arms are in retracted position, plates on said shafts and wheel having on each side a pin, a yielding means to hold said pins projected, a lever on each side of said Wheel and in the path In testimony whereof I afiix my signature of said pins, said levers having beveled in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ed es disposed toward each other whereby r on: of said levers Will be operated by said GEORGE BUFTRESS' 5 pins While the other lever remains station- Witnesses:

ary, and cables connectlng sald arms and le- E. L. STILWELL, vers. WALTER G. MARSTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

